Record and controversies

General information about important bills and votes for can be found in Congresspedia's articles on legislation. You can add information you find on how Ed Markey voted by clicking the "[edit]" link to the right and typing it in. Remember to cite your sources!

Abortion

His beliefs on Abortion are not consistent with his beliefs on Environmental issues. He openly believes abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape and when the life of the woman is endangered. [1] Usually, a view like this on the issue of abortion is considered quite conservative. His interest group ratings are mostly 100%, and the things he is in support of contrast his beliefs on abortion. [2]

Environmental record

Markey stands strong for the environment. His actions that he takes to save our world cry out, “I’m a liberal.” Markey has introduced new legislation to not drill off Georges Bank [3].

A majority of his interest group ratings range between 95 and 100%, showing his compassion for our world.

Energy and Fuel Economy

Markey has fought hard in the fight for energy independence since the beginning of his days in Congress. A long-time advocate of shifting away from a dependence on foreign oil, Markey has been a captain and determined leader of increasing fuel economy standards for automobiles. He has introduced a proposal to increase the minimum fuel economy to 35 miles per gallon by 2020, and became a law in December 2007. [5] His interest group rating of the Campaign for America’s Future is 100%, however, the group is comprised of conservative views. [6]

Markey calls on the house to pass energy bill, here is a link to the video. [7]

Support for gun control

In 1991, Markey cosponsored H.R. 3104, which would have amended title 18, United States Code, to prohibit the importation and the manufacture of firearms designed to accept a silencer, bayonet, grenade launcher, flash suppressor, or folding stock, of certain ammunition feeding devices, and of related devices, and to provide for the imposition of enhanced penalties for the possession or the use of any such item in a crime of violence or in a drug trafficking crime.[2]

He also cosponsored H.R. 1312 (Assault Weapons Ban and Law Enforcement Protection Act of 2005) on July 28, 2005.[3]

He also cosponsored H.R. 1022 (Assault Weapons Ban Reauthorization Act of 2007) on March 13, 2007.[4]

Calls for arrest of security researcher

In 2006, Markey called for the arrest of Christopher Soghoian, a security researcher at Indiana University. Markey indicated on the floor of the House that he wanted Soghoian arrested for exposing security problems related to the potential to use counterfeit boarding passes at US airports. [8][9][10]

Later, Markey commented that rather than being jailed, Soghoian should be "put to work showing public officials how easily our security can be compromised." [11]

The COPE Act

The Communications Opportunities Promotion and Enhancement (COPE) Act became the main vehicle for the network neutrality battle in 2006. On April 26, 2006, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce debated the Act and several amendments. The most relevant of these with regard to net neutrality was sponsored by Rep. Markey. He introduced an amendment which would have specifically given the Federal Communications Commission the authority to prohibit discrimination and enforce network neutrality. The amendment was co-sponsored by Reps. Rick Boucher (D-Va.), Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Jay Inslee (D-Wash.).[5] The amendment was defeated, 34-22. [6] The committee eventually approved the Act by a vote of 44-12 and sent it to the House floor.

Chemical security legislation

In January, 2007, Markey announced that he would introduce legislation requiring manufacturers to replace the most toxic chemicals used in production with safer substitutes. One of the primary motivations for the bill was the danger faced by trains which transport the toxic materials. Ed Hamberger, president of the American Association of Railroads, said that more than half of his industry's insurance costs stem from delivering dangerous chemicals. With a $1 billion liability cap on a terrorist event, Hamberger said an attack could literally bankrupt a railroad company.[7]

Bio

Markey was born July 11, 1946 in Malden, Massachusetts. He was educated at Malden Catholic High School, Boston College and Boston College Law School, served in the United States Army Reserve, and was a lawyer and member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives before entering the House.

Congressional career

In 2004 he announced that he would run for John Kerry's seat in the United States Senate if Kerry were to be elected President of the United States. Kerry, however, lost the election, and Markey will continue to serve in the House, to which he was reelected easily in 2004 over Republican Ken Chase and independent Jim Hall by a margin of 74%-21%-5%.

Committees: House Committee on Energy and Commerce, House Committee on Energy and Commerce/Subcommittee on Commerce Trade and Consumer Protection, House Committee on Energy and Commerce/Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality, House Committee on Energy and Commerce/Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, House Committee on Homeland Security, House Committee on Homeland Security/Subcommittee onTransportation Security and Infrastructure Protection, House Committee on Natural Resources,